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(No Model.) I

PW. COLE.

NON-INTERFERENCE SIGNAL BOX. I

No. 449,576. Patented Mar. 31,1891.

m: mums rz'rans cu, worn-mum, WASNLNGTON STATES NITED PATENT Enron.

FREDERICK \V. COLE, OF NE ON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I'IALF TO MOSES G. CRANE, OF SAME PLACE.

NON-INTERFERENCE SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,576, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed October 20, 1890. Serial No. 368,663. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. COLE, of Newton, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Non-Interference Signal-Boxes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts. I

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of non-interference signalboxes.

My invention eomprehends the employment of signaling mechanism of any suitable construction, a non-interference magnet, its armature, a locking arm or lever for the signaling mechanism,and a fulcrum-lever by which it may be moved. fulcrum-lever is controlled by the armature of the non-interference magnet and constitutes the box-controller.

My invention further comprehends a retractor for the armature of the magnet and means for moving it independent of the armature. The retractor is herein represented as a retractile spring, which is attached at one end to a suitable support and at the other end to a piece independent of but adapted to co-operate with the armature, whereby the influence of the retractile spring may be placed upon or removed from the armature at will.

My invention also comprehends a particular shunt-circuit changer, which is arranged on the lockin g arm or lever, but moved bodily by it and adapted to be opened by means of a pin on one of the moving parts of the train.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a noninterference signal-box embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of a portion of the signal-box shown in Fig. 1, taken in connection with the portion of the door of the box, which latter is closed; Fig. 3, an end View showing some of the parts represented in Fig. 1, to be referred to 5 Figs. 4 and 5, details of the locking arm or lever, fulcrumlever, box-controller, and signaling-lever, to be referred to; Fig. 6 and 7, modifications to be referred to.

The signaling mechanism herein shown The fulcrum of the comprises a drive-wheel a, mounted on the winding-shaft a, which engages a pinion on the shaft a to which is attached a toothed wheel a which engages a pinion secured to a shaft a to which is attached a toothed wheel a, engaging a pinion secured to the shaft a carrying an escape-wheel a, with which co-operates a suitable pallet. A sig naling-wheel (L is secured to the shaft a, which co-operates with the contact-pens (L13. In lieu of this particular form of construction of signaling-train, any other well-known or suitable train may be employed.

The signaling-train is normally wound up, and is held against the tension of the mainspring by a locking arm or lever 12, pivoted to the frame at Z) and having a shoulder which engages a pin b on the toothed wheel a A non-interference magnet c is provided, its armature 0 being attached to the lever 0 pivoted at 0 which lever is herein shown as extended downwardly, as at 0 to constitute a box-controller. The signaling-lever d is pivoted to the frame at d and a fulcrumlever e is placed in juxtaposition to the signaling-leveras just above it, for instanceand it is so located as to occupy a position between the box-controller and locking arm or lever.

As represented in Figs. 1 to 5, the fulcrumlever is shown as pivoted to the locking arm 7 or lever 12, and is made of such length as to terminate under the lower end of the boxcontroller 0 when it is inits normal position, the armature being attracted. \Vhen the fulcrum-lever is constructed in this manner and arranged in this way, and it is desired to start the box, the box-controller being in its normal position, as represented in Figs. 1 and 4, as the signaling-lever is pulled the fulcrumlever will be raised until one of its ends strikes against the lower end of the box-controller, and then by continuing the movement of the signaling-leverthe opposite end of the fulcrumlever willbelifted, in turn raising the locking arm or lever 17, the lower end of the box-controller serving as the fulcrum.

Then the signalingcircuit is opened or disturbed from any cause, and the armature of the non-interference magnet is found retraeted, the box-controller will be in its abnormal position, as represented in Fig. 5, and if the signalinglever (l is operated at such time the fulcrum-lever 6 will be lifted, and there being nothing to hold its outer end in a fixed position, the box-controller being in its abnormal position, said lever 0 will be moved freely on its pivot c on the lockingarm, and hence the said arm or lever b will remain at rest. The signaling-circuit enters the box at 2, includes the coils of non-interfcrence magnet 0, passes thence to the contact-pens (r and out at the post 3.

hen the box is not in actual use, it is do sirable to shunt out the non-interference magnet and contact-pens, and hence I have connected the wire at 2, which includes a circuit changer l 5, herein shown as arranged on and moved bodily by the locking-armor lever Z), and which also includes a circuit-changer 6 '7, (see Fig. 2,) which is secured to the framework and is controlled by the box door. These two circuit-changers t 5 and 6 7 control the shunt of the non-interference magnet and contact-pens a. A pin F is secured to the wheel a, which when said wheel is in its normal position keeps the circuit changer -t 5 closed, and when the locking-arm or lever Z) is raised the contact-pens l 5 are lifted out of the pathof said pin f, and by their own spring-action are separated. I have also herein provided means for holding the box-controller in its abnormal position, when the armature is once retracted, until restored normally, as when closing the box-door, for instance, and such means herein consists of a lever 72, pivoted at one end, as at n, to the frame-work, its opposite end being turned or moved by a projection, as m, on the box-door 0.

The lever n has a projection 71?, which bears against the upper end of the box-controller, or it may be the armature, and the retractile spring n of the armature is attached to the lever it instead of to the armature, so that when the lever a is moved away from the armature, as by closing the box-door, for instance, the force of the retractile spring is removed en tirely away from the armature, and the boxcontroller then hangs freely, as shown in Fig. 2. When the box-door is opened,the lever n is drawn by the spring or against the boxcontroller c, as represented in Fig. l and dotted lines, Fig. 2, and there opposes the force of the non-interference magnet.

hen the signaling-circuit is interrupted, the armature 0 immediately retracts, and as the magnet is not strong enough to overcome the tension-spring and draw up the armature when once retracted, the box-door must be closed to move the lever a, to thereby positively remove the tension of the spring at so that the magnet can again attract the armature.

I do not desire to limit myself to the means herein shown for removing the tension of the retractile spring, as it may be done in many ways.

jlte'ferring to Fig. 6, the locking arm or lever l) is shown, and the box-controller c and signaling-lever (l, and in lieu of the fulcrumlever b (shown in Figs. 1. to 5) a fulcrum-lever is shown pivoted at m to the signaling-lever and having a vertical arm at and a laterallyextended arm m having at its upper end a short arm or projection in, extending at right angles with relation to the 211111771 This fulcrum-lever m m m is so located with relation to the locking-arm and the box'controller that when the box-controller is in its normal position on the signaling-lever to be operated, the arm m will strike the locking-arm and raise it, while the box-controller will follow along the side of the arm m and at one side of the arm m and if the box-controller is in its abnormal position and the signaling-lever operated, the short arm or projection m will strike the end of thebox'controller c", and the fulcrum-lever will be thereby turned, so that the arm 072. will not engage the locking arm or lever 11.

Referring to Fig. 7 the locking arm or lever Z) is shown; also, the signaling-lever (Z and box'controller c", and in lieu of the fulcrumlever 6 shown in Fig. l, a fulcrunrlever is represented as a bar pivoted at '16 to the signaling lever (Z, said bar extending laterally in opposite directions and normally resting on pins '16. \Vhen the box controller c is in its normal position, as represented in Fig. 7, and the signaling-lever operated, the end it? of the fulcrum-lever will be held down by the box-controller and the end a will be raised, but it the box-controller c" is in its abnormal position the end a will be held down by the locking-arm and the end a raised. Hence it will be seen that various forms of fulcrum-lever maybe employed, it only being requisite that the box-controller shall serve as the fulcrum for the lever when in its normal position to thereby co-operate with the parts to let off the box.

The fulcrum-lever, in. combination with its co-operating parts, may be employed in connection with any other form of signaling mechanism. So, also, the lever 11, to which the retractile spring a is attached, may be employed in connection'with any other form of signal-box than that herein described.

Some of the features herein shown and described are applicable for other purposes.

I claim- 1. In a non-interference signal-box, signaling mechanism, a non-in terference magnet, and its armature, combined with a lockingarm, and a fulcrum-lever, and fulcrum therefor, the position of which is controlled by said armature, substantially as described.

In a non-interference signal-box, a signaling mechanism, a non-interference magnet, and its armature, and a box-controller, combined with a locking arm or lever, and a shunt-circuit changer moved bodily by said locking arm or lever, and a pin on one of the members of the signaling mechanism for closing said shunt circnit changer, substantially as described.

8. In a non-interference signal-box, a signaling mechanism, a non-interference magnet and its armature, and a box-controller, combined with a lever, as 'n, independent of the armature, which is moved by the boxdoor when closed, and a retractile spring for the armature attached at one end to said 1ever 12, substantially as described.

4. In a non-interference signal-box, a signaling mechanism, a non-interference magnet, and its armature, and a box-controller, combined with a ret-ractile spring for the armature attached at one end to a support, and a FREDERICK W. COLE.

Witnesses:

BERNIOE J. NOYES, EMMA J'. BENNETT. 

